Beauty beginnings: A basic start

 The next day all the students loved me. Clarins brought me luck — I became a school hero, the one who saved the Christians.”

So, here we are, you and me looking deep into the subject of beauty…. What is it?
Is there any meaning to it? Yes! And it’s soul deep! I want to share what I’ve learned about beauty with you. After being on this planet and having failed and succeeded at many things for many reasons, I’ve had a revelation, one which has made a dramatic difference in my life.
First things first, beauty starts inside you the moment you come into existence, think about how naturally beautiful little children are, other than the lack of the ravages of time, there is a light and beauty to them isn’t there? What is that? You can’t buy that at the counter. It’s a knowing and a being that we come into this world with, and then somehow we lose it on the way.
So, beauty is an inner knowing and peace and joy with oneself. Let’s start here.
Question: Are you comfortable in your skin? Do you know who you are? Of course you do, but have you been listening to your heart lately? I’ve found that listening takes a certain amount of quiet introspection. What really lights your fire? Is it baking home-made bread, is it your abilty to make all that’s wrong right, or maybe you want to play softball or throw pots. The possibilities are endless…
My point is, you need to find it, it may be more than one thing. Ask yourself, what do I truly enjoy? Start here and hit me back. For example, I spent my childhood as a dancer, singer and experimented with hair and makeup, but I had little to no formal training. Today, as I examine myself, I find that the dancing and singing in particular is true for me. Who are you and what do you really like?
Before we start with the proper daily four-step skincare routine, you’ll need to know your skin type. How you care for your skin is utterly dependent on the type of skin you have: oily, normal/combination, dry, sensitive or sun-damaged.
The basic 4-step skincare regimen
Step one: Cleansing.
Simplicity is key here. You need to find a good cleanser that your skin responds well to, and stick with it.
Avoid bar soaps as they tend to dry out the skin. Soap should only ever touch your skin from the neck down. We agree. Choose a creamy cleanser if you have dry skin or a clear cleanser if you have oily skin.
Be careful not to cleanse too often. Washing at night to take off your make-up and in the morning to refresh your skin. If you have dry skin, consider a cream based cleanser. Most women prefer the water method: Use warm water to loosen dirt and clogged pores. Use a coin-sized bit of cleanser, then rinse with cool or lukewarm water. You’ll also want to take off your makeup with a proper makeup remover.
In the morning, a splash of lukewarm water to wash off your cleanser is all you need (we find it’s great for removing excess oils from your nightly moisturising). Never wash your face with hot or cold water (both can cause broken capillaries). Also be careful about overcleansing skin.
Step Two:  Exfoliate.
Exfoliation is the step most people skip in their weekly skincare routine. But trust me, if you start properly exfoliating your skin, you will notice an almost immediate difference. One of the reasons men’s skin looks more youthful than women’s is because men tend to exfoliate daily when they shave. There are several ways to exfoliate skin: Microderm-abrasion, chemical peels and retinoids.
Scrubs work by removing the top layer of dead skin cells that tend to dull your complexion. We find exfoliating skin once every two weeks with a microdermabrasion facial keeps skin glowing year-round. Make sure you use a gentle scrub with specially formulated grains. Big grains in some scrubs can tear skin and cause more harm than good.
In the hour it takes to get a chemical peel, you can take off five years from your face. So try out a chemical peel with a specially trained therapist at the Clarins Spa.
Should you use a toner? Some people swear by toners, but many are sceptics.  Toners are meant to remove all remaining traces of oil, makeup and dirt, but a good cleanser should do this. I firmly believe it’s up to you. If you like the way your skin feels with a toner. Buy it. Use it. Enjoy it.
Step Three: Moisturise.
While I know of at least one famous beauty editor who swore skin doesn’t need moisturiser, basically everyone else I’ve read disagrees and is an adamant believer in it. A basic law of beauty is that everyone, no matter her skin type, should moisturise. Even if your skin is oily, it will benefit from moisturisers.
 Why? Moisturisers seal moisture into skin. So how much should you moisturise? Your skin will tell you. When your skin is tight, it’s crying out for moisture. Be careful not to overmoisturise — this can clog pores.
Are eye creams necessary? Well maybe. Some beauty experts strongly recommend eye creams. Why? The skin around the eye contains no fatty tissue and is therefore very thin and susceptible to wrinkles. Special eye creams are formulated to “thicken” this area and help minimise fine lines and wrinkles forming..
Step 4: Apply sunscreen.
O Magazine ran an article featuring interviews with several top skin care experts and dermatologists Every single one of them said sunscreen was the most important part of your skincare regimen. It was the secret they would pass on to their daughters.
The number one cause of wrinkles is sun damage, so it’s important to use sunscreen from your early years on even in winter and on cloudy days. A great trick is to purchase two moisturisers: One for night and one for day that includes UV protection. Don’t use moisturisers with sunscreen at night, the ingredients are not meant to be used 27/7 and can aggravate skin.
– For all your queries and alternative tips you may have or just to be added onto our database – missk@zol.co.zw.